Om Mani Padme Hum
by Auttzthoughtz
Summary: After TROS, Rey is seeking to find what is next in her path. She reaches out for Ben to be with her, and she is surprised by what life brings her next. Reylo. Stormpilot.


Om Mani Padme Hum: The Jewel in the Lotus

**WARNING: if you have not seen The Rise of Skywalker yet, turn back now and come back once you have. This fiction piece sucks without the context of TROS, and I can't guarantee no spoilers.**

_The lotus symbolizes growth and determination. _

Rey sits in the home of the ancestors of Luke, Leia, and Ben, trying to fall asleep. BB8 is still rolling around in the dunes, seeming almost more at home here than herself. In a few days, Rey plans to send signal to the rebellion base to invite friends to share in her new home – that is, when she feels it is her home herself. Even though she told the woman passerby that she was a Skywalker by name, that legacy means much more to her, and she needs time to feel in tune with the force.

"Be with me," Rey whispers under her breath. She has seen Luke and Leia as force ghosts, and for that in her moments first landing onto her new home on Tatooine, she was grateful. She was not reaching for them now. In this moment, she wanted to see Ben, even if it was only one last time. Rey kept her eyes closed and chanted the same phrase that brought the Jedi to her before again and again until she felt the glow of blue light dance over her skin. When she opened her eyes, however, it was not Ben's ghostly figure in front of her. It was a young blonde man she did not recognize who couldn't be much older than herself, smiling gently as it fully appeared. "I didn't mean to disturb anyone else, I was looking for-"

"Ben Solo, yes, I'm aware," Anakin responds as he sits across from her. "It's nice to meet you in person instead of just being a voice among the jedi to help guide you. My name is Anakin Skywalker."

Anakin reaches out his hand to Rey and she doesn't reciprocate, in shock. "You are Anakin…Darth…"

"Not my greatest highlight, but yes," Anakin says with a sigh. "I thought all had been lost, Palpatine told me I had killed both my wife Padme and with her my two children, which began my spiral towards the empire and the dark side. Did you know that before that, I was prophesized to bring an end to the Sith and bring balance to the force? That was meant to be my legacy, and my children tried to preserve that idea by working with the rebellion. Something like that wasn't truly achievable until you came along, Rey Palpatine – willing to relinquish all Sith power for the good of our universe, to deny being a Empress to become a Jedi and take the Skywalker name. The balance of the universe will stay shifted with you, for the better."

Rey bows her head. "I am not that important."

"Yes, you are," Anakin says softly. "I answered your calls for my grandson so that I could thank you for doing what I was unable to do, and I look forward to seeing where you go from here."

"Thank you, I'm honored, really," Rey says with a half-hearted smile.

"Thank you, but where is he?" Anakin asks with a soft laugh. "Ben is closer than you can understand. Reach out for him, and he will be with you. Tell him, when you see him, that I am proud of him."

"I will, thank you, Master Anakin," Rey says with a half-curtsy.

Anakin laughs in pure glee before he fades away. Rey is left alone again in the dark of his old home, and walks around the home, taking it in one more time before going to sit on a cot and crossing her legs. Rey feels the force surround her like a cocoon, the energy natural as air swirling around her, as she calls out one last time. "Be with me," Rey whispers, hope in her heart, eyes closed tight.

There is no light that shines around the room as he appears, just him on his knees in front of her. "Rey?"

Rey smiles before even opening her eyes, and when she sees him in full form – not as a ghost – in front of her, panting but smiling, she practically leaps off the cot into his arms. As she is holding him, she whispers in his ear. "I thought you were dead. How is this even possible?"

"Not dead, just transported," Ben admits sheepishly. "There was someone I needed to talk to, and it was my best chance to do so. I'm sorry I left you alone."

Rey pulls away from Ben slightly, still settled sitting on him. "Did you have a good conversation with Leia?"

Ben nods. "I think it was everything both her and I needed."

"So, you are back, for good, and Ben," Rey trails off.

Ben smiles. "For good," Ben says before leaning to hover his face over Rey's. "The real question here is if I can stay here, with you, because that's where I want to be," Ben grazes his thumb over Rey's cheek.

"For good," Rey says with a nod before crashing their lips together once more, just as passionate as the first time.

They only part minutes later at the sounds of BB8 chirping outside of the bedroom door, asking what is going on. Rey climbs off Ben's lap and answers the door, inviting the droid in. "BB8, I would like you to meet Ben," BB8 looks at him at first and recognizes him to be Kylo Ren and rolls backwards slowly, "no, BB8, it's okay, he's…finally Ben, Leia and Han's son." BB8 has some colorful chirping going around back and forth before he finally lets out his little lighter.

Ben stands up and clears his throat. "Does that mean he likes me?"

Rey shrugs. "We still don't know if that's his way of giving the thumbs-up or flipping someone off, but either way, BB8 warms up to people quickly."

"I guess the droid is the least likely to hate me anyhow, of all of them," Ben runs a hand through his hair. "I have a lot of apologies to give, if those I have hurt are willing to listen."

"They'll listen for me, they like me," Rey says, quickly pacing out towards her ship to send transmission to the rebellion base. "Plus, every single one of them loved Leia, and you are her son."

Once she has sent transmission out to Poe, inviting him and friends to come visit her new home, she climbs out of the ship just as the woman who asked for her name before and friends come walking by.

"Who is that girl living in the old Skywalker house?" asks one of the ladies in a high pitch tone.

The other woman from before chimes in. "She says she is a Skywalker too. It's been a long time since we had one of them here."

After they walk away, Ben walks up behind Rey and wraps his arms around her. "Rey Skywalker? I like the sound of that."

Rey leans her head back onto Ben's chest. "I do too. Though I have a bigger idea, I think I will wait until our friends come tomorrow to talk more of it. That reminds me, we have lots of cleaning to do before they come." Rey groans, not wanting to leave his arms to do anything.

Ben smirks. "We should make a better mess before we start cleaning everything," he whispers in Rey's ear. Rey laughs softly. Ben sighs. "Running an Empire has not given me any opportunity to learn how to flirt, sorry," Ben kisses the top of Rey's head.

"I was a scrap collector on Jakku, and then a part of the rebellion, you really think I've seen any better?" Rey says with a soft smile as she gently turns herself around in Ben's embrace. "We're lucky we're so well connected that we don't really need the flirting part."

Rey starts walking Ben backwards into the house. "The droid was in the bedroom."

"BB8 is in one of the bedrooms, the house has more than one," Rey says with a chuckle as they walk off into the other bedroom and into the night together.

The next morning, or shall one say early afternoon, Rey and Ben are still in bed together when they hear a ship arriving outside. Both startle awake, throwing clothes at each other trying to get dressed before anyone comes in. Rey sincerely hopes that BB8 is stalling them by greeting everyone. She hears Poe's voice echo down the hallway.

"Anyone home?" Poe bellows before reaching the bedroom door. He goes to push it open before Rey stops him. "Did you sleep in for once?"

Rey notes that her hair is unkempt so she starts pulling it out of her buns before she walks out. "You could say that."

"Wait – is there, do you have someone in there?" Poe is grinning ear-to-ear, teasing his friend that is like a little sister to him.

"Shut up before someone else hears you," Rey says in hushed tones.

Poe laughs softly. "Finally! I was getting worried for you, seriously. Finn has me, Rose has Zorii, it's about time you bring home someone. Who's the lucky person? Or alien? No judgement, seriously, before Finn I hooked up with half the galaxy and – oh."

Ben peaks his head out to check if everything is alright. He sighs, "This was probably not the best new first impression of me being better and Leia's son."

"No, Rey told us about the Jedi bond thing and how you saved her, I just, she said you were," Poe mutters, needing a moment to take it in.

"Dead? No, I was…needed elsewhere. To guide my mother into a peaceful afterlife within the force itself, she needed to make peace, as did I," Ben says as he opens the door fully and they both start walking outside with Poe. "I hope to make peace with everyone I hurt, and to do better."

"Well, you can't do any worse," Poe says with a chuckle.

Rey rolls her eyes. When they get outside, the whole squad is waiting for them. Finn, Rose, Zorii, Jannah, C3P0, and R2D2. They all come to give hugs to Rey and pause to observe Ben after.

Rey clears her throat. "Everyone: meet Ben Solo. Han and Leia's son, and a friend of the rebellion and the new universe order towards good."

Each of them takes a turn to greet Ben, Jannah and Finn going last. Ben smiles brighter at them. "You both were deserters from the stormtrooper duty, and I commend you for that bravery."

Jannah nods, Finn reaches out a hand to shake. "Thank you, I am glad you had the strength to fight your inner Kylo Ren and pull to the dark side."

"Actually, that is a big part of the reason I wanted you here," Rey says softly. "To discuss something that has come to my attention. I don't want to be Sith, obviously. But I don't think Jedi is the correct term either."

Ben watches Rey carefully. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that there were so many rules that bound people to being Sith or being Jedi. The Jedi were asked to be celibate, alone, to practice like gods and be above all beyond the force itself. The Sith, while majorly negative, allowed gifts such as healing and having loved ones and children. I think the new generation needs something in between, something beyond just being referred to as a 'Grey Jedi' – I propose that all new people that join into the energy and good of the force proclaim themselves as Skywalker," Rey pauses and watches the whole group, noting that they are waiting for more, "Skywalker has become more than a name in our universe, and it deserves to become a title in our new world. Are you with me?"

Ben nods, walking forward to wrap Rey in his arms again. "I love that."

Poe nods. "That is a phenomenal idea. Who will be the first you will want to train? Do you know where you would want to start searching for Padawans for the new way?"

Rey smiles ear to ear. "Finn and Jannah, the reason they deserted they said was something like an instinct, but more of a feeling. They are both force sensitive, and I would be honored – assuming they are interested – in seeing what kind of potential they have utilizing the force."

Jannah looks between Ben and Rey. "Perhaps one student per master, since it would be your first time."

"I know Finn best so I would prefer to take him on then, Ben, how would you like to train Jannah?" Rey asks with a continued grin.

Ben nods. "It'd be nice to train someone to do good for a change."

Jannah and Finn nod. "We're in."

Zorii chimes in. "Rose can use her skills to hone a satellite to search for others who are force sensitive, and her and I can go search them out and send them your way, when you are ready."

"That sounds phenomenal," Rey says gently. "Poe, how is rebellion base?"

"Quiet, boring without a rebellion, why?" Poe answers.

"Well, perhaps it is time you and Finn took a vacation, and took BB8 along for the ride, in the Falcon. Jannah can go with Zorii and Rose for now, and when we are fully ready, we will call to train. Ben and I still have training to do, especially with our connection in the force, before we can take on the title of being Master to others," Rey says quickly.

Poe nods. "If you had just said 'we want some time to ourselves' that would've cut it, but your way works too," Poe guides everyone, including BB8, back onto the ship. Before they leave, Finn and Poe pull Rey into a big hug and tell her that they are so happy for her and proud of her.

Ben and Rey enthusiastically wave goodbye until the ship can no longer be seen among the stars in their sky. Rey turns around and they wrap their arms around each other again. Rey smiles ear to ear. "I've got a good feeling about this."

*10 Years Later*

Rey is rushing out the door, trying to make sure everyone remembers their bags as Poe parks the Falcon outside.

"Uncle Poe!" Yells Julian, the oldest of Rey and Ben's twins.

"Uncle Finn!" Yells Padme, the younger twin.

Poe and Finn run off the ship to give the twins hugs. "We've missed you guys."

"How old are you now? You've gotten so big!" Poe says, squishing Padme's cheeks.

"Uncle Poe, we're almost ten," Padme says with a giggle.

Ben walks out of the house with the last couple of bags. "That's why we are going now, this is an important right of passage, and will be the best gift you will ever receive, even if you largely make it yourself."

"I think I want mine to be pink," Padme says as they board the ship.

"Pink is stupid, who wants a stupid color like that for a lightsaber," Julian says as they start finding seats around the game table.

"Pink is close to purple, and Mace Windu had a purple saber, and nobody would call Mace Windu stupid," Padme says indignantly.

Julian sighs. "At least it's new. I want one like Uncle Finn."

"Uncle Finn has a very rare saber," Rey explains gently. "I don't imagine you will be able to find the right materials for another silver-white saber, but you could try. I never though you for such a subtle color though. Especially considering mine is gold and your father's is orange. Have you thought about a green saber? Those are hard to come by, but strong and good."

"Perhaps," Julian said, pondering it. "Green and Pink are complimentary colors."

"That's very true," Rey says with a soft smile. "Just like your names. Do you remember?"

Ben chuckles. "Of course, they do, you told them all of the time like a bedtime story. Julian means-"

"Youthful, representing a new generation to come," Julian finishes.

"While Padme means Lotus, a flower than means growth and determination, what you want for both your children and Skywalkers alike," Padme continues, grinning.

Rey nods. "Also inspired by your incredible grandmother, Padme Amidala, taken from the world too soon. And the phrase 'om mani padme hum' – meaning the jewel in the lotus. The jewel being each of you, and your father, the jewels of my life," Rey hugs both of her children as close as she can while staying seated. "I love you."

"We know," Julian and Padme say in a choral moment.

**-The End-**

**Author's Note: There was more I had in mind for this, I can make a sequel story to this with Julian and Padme grown up and perhaps showing Finn and Jannah using the force. I can also do a story that encompasses Rey and Ben training together and/or them together through the pregnancy with the twins. I am open to suggestions as well. I honestly wrote this as a gift to my friend Skywalker Dani because we both held the need to see Ben survive after watching TROS. **

**With Love,**

**Auttzthoughtz**


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